Leah Berdysz, MSSA, LSW

CEO & Founder @empoweredpoised l #LicensedSocialWorker l #Author of Conscious Empowerment | Passionate about empowering & educating youth💜 (views are my own)

[Leah Berdysz, MSSA, LSW @itsleahbee]

I am thrilled to unveil the fresh and revamped @empoweredpoised website!
Discover a new user-friendly interface, enriched content, and improved navigation - all aimed at providing you with an enhanced experience in empowering and educating your students. https://t.co/X9xS1QlotQ

[Dr. Bryan Pearlman #MaslowBeforeBloom @DrP_Principal]

I met Albert before the school year started. I was moving some things into my office and I saw him shooting hoops by himself on our playground. He approached me and asked if I was the new assistant principal. I introduced myself and shook his hand. He then asked if I would play HORSE. I thought about the long list of things I had to get done and how far behind I was already, but I quickly decided that HORSE with a student trumped everything on that list.

While playing basketball, he asked me several questions and literally spoke for 20 minutes straight without taking a breath. He was funny, interesting, and seemed very intelligent. When we finished playing, he thanked me for spending the time with him and he walked home. I went back in the building and started to tackle the many items that were on my long list of things to do.

A few weeks later we had some back to school IEP meetings. One of them was for a student named Albert. I pulled the file so that I would be prepared for the meeting. To my surprise, this was the same Albert that I played basketball with a few weeks prior. He had a list of a dozen school suspensions, at least six DSM diagnosis listed, and was assigned to the self-contained classroom for 85% of the day. Something did not add up.

The parents did not show up for the meeting but gave permission to conduct the meeting in their absence. This was the first IEP that I had ever attended where there was not one positive word spoken about this student. Even when they asked for any strengths, nobody around the table could share any. I spoke up and said that based on my 20 minute encounter with him I felt he had several strengths: a good outside jump shot, excellent communication skills, an inquisitive nature, and a big smile. I looked around the table and everyone stared at me like I was either crazy or talking about another student.

The school year started with a bang. Albert became upset in class and ran down the hall and straight out of the building towards his home. I managed to catch-up to him before he crossed a major street and I convinced him to walk back to the school and into my office. Albert was crying and obviously frustrated. He said that everyone in the school was mean to him and that they all thought he was a bad kid. In my head, I thought that he was exactly right—certainly based on the IEP meeting participants. We had a nice talk and Albert seemed to calm down. I asked if he would like to join me outside for a game of HORSE. He gave me a strange look, but then said, “Are you sure?” I told him definitely and he enthusiastically agreed to play. Once we were outside, Albert asked if he was going to be suspended. I told him that we would forget about this one, but that if there was a next one, he would be sent home. We discussed some better choices for next time, as running out of the room and building was a real safety issue. I stressed that I wanted him to be safe, because I liked him, cared about him, and did not want anything to happen to the school’s best basketball player. He smiled at me and asked if it would be okay if he could come to my office when he got upset, instead of running out of the building. I told him that was a great idea.

We played basketball for a bit and decided that it was time to go back inside to prepare for lunch. Albert turned his head, looked me in the eyes and said that this was the nicest thing that anyone at school had ever done for him.

Albert kept to his word. There were several other times that he got upset and frustrated, but instead of running out of the building, he ran to my office, sat in a corner, and cooled off. Each time it would take a few minutes before he was ready to talk and process what happened.

Albert never got suspended that year and staff regularly shared some positives about him. Amazing what one small act of kindness can do to help a student be successful.

Join us at the “Maslow Before Bloom” Facebook group; https://t.co/015cLKjJ1m

[Leah Berdysz, MSSA, LSW @itsleahbee]

I look forward to bringing back the information learned to continue to #advocate for our profession and support #students & #families. What a wonderful opportunity to grow, learn, #network and even get some exploring in!

[Leah Berdysz, MSSA, LSW @itsleahbee]

Thank you @OSSWA_ for the opportunity to represent Ohio at the @TheSSWAA Delegate Conference/ Leadership Institute alongside @MidviewSWer & Heather F. It was wonderful to connect with other passionate #changeagents from around the nation.

[Sean Malarkey @SeanMalarkey]

“Dear teenage boy at the skate park...

You're probably about 15 years-old, so I don't expect you to be very mature or for you to want a little girl on your skate ramp for that matter.

What you don't know is that my daughter has been wanting to skateboard for months. I actually had to convince her that skateboarding wasn't for just for boys.

So when we walked up to the skate park and saw that it was full of teenaged boys who were smoking and swearing, she immediately wanted to turn around and go home.

I secretly wanted to go too because I didn't want to have to put on my mom voice and exchange words with you.

I also didn't want my daughter to feel like she had to be scared of anyone, or that she wasn't entitled to that skate park just as much as you were.

So when she said, "Mom it's full of older boys," I calmly said, "So what, they don't own the skate park."

She proceeded to go down the ramp in spite of you and your friends flying past her and grinding rails beside her.

She only had two or three runs in before you approached her and said "Hey, excuse me.."

I immediately prepared to deliver my "She's allowed to use this park just as much as you guys" speech when I heard you say, "Your feet are wrong. Can I help you?"

You proceeded to spend almost an hour with my daughter showing her how to balance and steer, and she listened to you - a feat not attained by most adults.

You held her hand and helped her get up when she fell down and I even heard you tell her to stay away from the rails so that she wouldn't get hurt.

I want you to know that I am proud that you are part of my community, and I want to thank you for being kind to my daughter, even though your friends made fun of you for it.

She left the skate park with a sense of pride and with the confidence that she can do anything, because of you.”

Via @JeaneanThomas

[Empowered & Poised @empoweredpoised]

Educators!! This one is for you… #curriculum #comingsoon! #lifeskills

[Empowered & Poised @empoweredpoised]

Today Addison walked us through how to make a healthy smoothie bowl on the Empowered & Poised Facebook page. Head on over there to check it out and give her some love! 💕
#smoothiebowl #healthyliving #balancedmeals #wellness #youthempowerment @TraderJoesList @kroger

[Leah Berdysz, MSSA, LSW @itsleahbee]

Anyone else get choked up over #undercoverboss? @CBS

[Leah Berdysz, MSSA, LSW @itsleahbee]

How to Empower Youth | Leah Berdysz | TEDxOrangeHS https://t.co/4siBr1lFMs via @YouTube

[Leah Berdysz, MSSA, LSW @itsleahbee]

https://t.co/n82dRqbtX6

Get your copy today!! #author #parenting #education

[Leah Berdysz, MSSA, LSW @itsleahbee]

https://t.co/4siBr1lFMs @TEDx @TEDTalks #youth #empowerment #k12edu #socialwork

[books 📖 @bookpoets]

learn to know the difference

[Leah Berdysz, MSSA, LSW @itsleahbee]

@JCUAlumni I will still call it mill-“ore”. Just doesn’t sit right to call it anything else. Haha

[Brad Weinstein @WeinsteinEdu]

This is important! 🙌

[Leah Berdysz, MSSA, LSW @itsleahbee]

https://t.co/JGPStQNjzO

[Leah Berdysz, MSSA, LSW @itsleahbee]

https://t.co/CBUqoEdGSq #mentalhealth #youth

[Leah Berdysz, MSSA, LSW @itsleahbee]

https://t.co/P8HUXQUtIn @CBSNews

[Brad Weinstein @WeinsteinEdu]

So true! 🧡

[Leah Berdysz, MSSA, LSW @itsleahbee]

Attending a great conference hosted by @OSSWA_ on supporting the LGBTQIA+ community. @NASWOhioChapter @nasw @nationwidekids Looking forward to the afternoon presentation/conversations as well! #socialwork

[Leah Berdysz, MSSA, LSW @itsleahbee]

https://t.co/4siBr1lFMs @TEDx #TedTalk #EmpoweringYouth